off in the early hours for a mammoth 63-mile run around the Island.

International marathon runner Brett Forgesson started running at about 1.30 a.m. last Friday after being unable to sleep -- and did not stop until more than eight hours later.

He set off from his home in Devonshire in the pitch darkness and ran out towards St. George's and St. Catherine's Fort, and then headed around the lighthouse in St. David's.

He then picked up South Shore, jogging along to Dockyard in the West End, before doubling back along the north side of the Island.

He finally returned home in broad daylight soon after 10 a.m. Except for a brief water stop, Forgesson was running for a total of eight hours and 38 minutes -- a personal long distance record, to say the least.

"It was not done as a challenge or a fundraiser, it was just something to do,'' said the blase 37-year-old father last night. "My plan was to run all the way around the Island in a big loop, doing a complete circuit. I just set out and kept running.

"The last few miles were a bit of a struggle because it was a lot further than I had ever ran before. It was a bit of an adventure. It was a nice quiet time to run. But from about 40 miles on it was hard-going.

"When I got back I felt a bit weary. My feet were fine, but I think everything has been aching since then.'' Experienced runner Forgesson said the furthest distance he had ever run before was about 30 miles. And he said he had never run for more than four hours at a time. And although feeling exhilarated and fulfilled after Friday's jaunt, the engineer said he had no plans to lap the Island again.

"I think it was a once-only thing. Once was certainly enough,'' said Forgesson, whose wife is Bermuda's top female runner Anna Eatherley.

"My family knew I had gone out running, but I don't think they knew how far I was going. They didn't report me missing to the Police.

"I think my family thought I was crazy. They definitely think I'm mad.

"And one of my friends said I must have been watching too much Forrest Gump because I just kept running.'' Forgesson, who has been running for about 20 years, is a leading light in Bermuda's athletic circles.

Last November he led home a 30-strong Bermuda contingent who took part in the New York Marathon, one of the world's biggest road races.

He finished an impressive 194th out of around 27,000 starters, completing the run in just two hours, 45 minutes and 49 seconds.

Fundraiser Sean O'Connell was the last person to run around the rim of the Island back in June 1979.

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